Mechanical starter.



E. P. BRINNON.

MECHANICAL STARTER. APPLICATION mm saw/22.1915. RENEWiD MAR s. 1919.

1,301,901, Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. P. BRINNON.

MECHANICAL STARTER. APPLICATION man sEPT.22. I915. RENEWED MAR-'6, 1919.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET Z.

31,30L9QL Y 1 x k k X u m: :voRms PETERS c0..P14oro-urno. wAsHlNc'mn. u, L.

ELLIS P. BRINNON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

MECHANICAL STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

Application filed September 22, 1915, Serial No. 52,047. Renewed March 6, 1919. Serial No. 281,078.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIs P; BRINNON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Starters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical starters designed for use in connection with the internal combustion engines of motor vehicles, the present design being particularly adaptable to a well known make of motor car now on the market.

The main object of my invention resides in the provision of such type of structure wherein the leverage applied in turning the engine crank shaft is always maintained approximately constant from one end of the stroke of the actuating arm to the other.

In this connection it is my aim to also make a mechanical starter which is light in weight and exceedingly simpleto install, as Well as arranging the parts in such manner that they are normally hidden from view, with the exception of the operating handle which may be extended to a position adjacent the steering post.

Still a further object of my invention resides in so arranging the structure that the operator will not be injured in case the engine should back fire and also the structure will not be broken in case of such back fire. Specifically, the arrangement is such that the engaging pawl is automatically kicked out from its position of engagement with the ratchet wheel mounted on the engine crank shaft at both ends of the stroke of the actuator arm. L

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front View of a motor vehicle with the radiator removed, showing my mechanical starter applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the forward portion of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the starter mechanism shown applied to an engine crank shaft, this mechanism being shown in full lines in one position and in broken lines in another position.

In these drawings, the engine as a whole is designated by the reference numeral 1, this engine being provided with a crank shaft 2. This engine is mounted in the chassis, which is designated by the reference numeral 3, and the dash is represented by the reference numeral 4, the steering post 5 being shown as projecting through this dash in the manner shown.

The engine crank shaft is provided with a ratchet wheel 6, which ratchet wheel is formed with a series of V-shaped teeth 7 as is shown and also carries, at its rear, a pulley 8 over which the fan belt is designed to pass. This ratchet member is further provided with an interior annular groove into which the felt washer 9 is designed to fit, it being the purpose of this felt washer to absorb and retain suflicient lubricating oil to at all times keep the mechanism in a properly lubricated state. Pivotally mounted on the ratchet wheel in a manner to have a movement concentric with the engine shaft is an actuator arm designated 10, this actuator arm carrying a quadrant 11 at its outer end. This quadrant is provided with an outer V- shaped groove into which the flexible cable 12 is designed to seat itself and this cable is further secured to one end of the quadrant as is shown at 13. A sheave 14 is also pivotally held in connection with a bracket supporting arm 15, this sheave being so lined up that its periphery will lie in line with the path of movement of the quadrant 11. The bracket arm upon which the sheave is mounted is attached at one end to the engine as is shown at 16 and at its opposite end to the general framework as is shown at 17. After passing over the sheave 14,

the cable 12 may be connected to a rod such as is shown at 18 to then pass through the clash at a convenient point, or the cable itself may be continued in place of the rod 18 if this should be found desirable. The actuator arm 10 also pivotally carries at 19 a pawl 20, which pawl is provided with a tooth 21 designed to fit between the V- shaped teeth 7 on the ratchet. This pawl is further provided with a pair of kick out projections 22 and 23 located on either side of the engaging tooth 21 and mounted in such relation that when the actuator arm is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the projection 23 will engage the upper edge of the drip pan shown at 24 to cause a disengagement of the pawl and ratchet. The other kick out projection 22 is so proportioned and arranged that it will strike the opposite edge of the drip pan to cause a dis engagement between the pawl and the ratchet as is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As already related, the actuator arm moved from the full line position in I Fig. 3; was dotted line position by a pull uponthe rod 18 and in order that this arm may be automatically returned, I have provided-a coiled spring 25 secured at one end to the vehicle framevvork and at its opposite end to an outwardly projecting finger 26 011 theactuator arm 10. This actuator arm is also provided with a flange projection 27 arranged so that when the arm is moved to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, the spring will rest upon the upper surface of the 'rflange to prevent its interfering with the proper movement of the dog 20.

' From the. foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a type of mechanical starter which is positive in its o ieration. By; the provision of the quadrant :11, the same leverage is maintained on the engine shaft from the full line position in Fig. 3 to the broken line position. Also, th'epawl 20 is automatically kicked out of 1'engagementwith the ratchet teeth in either of-these positions by the engagement of the respective kick out projections with the drip pan 24:. The teeth 7 on the ratchet are so shaped as to permit this disengagement in either a forward movement or a rearward movement, the latter being the case should the engine back fire. When this takes place, there will result no action which might injure the operator or which would break the "various parts of the starter, the only action Gopies of this patent may be'obtained for bustion engines" comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to be secured to the crank shaft of an engine, an actuator arm pivotally mounted to swing about the engine crank shaft as a center, a pawl pivoted to said arm and arranged to engage said ratchet, a laterally projecting flange on said arm above said Paul, a sp ing Se u ed a ne nd t a arm and at its other end to the framework in such relation that it rests on said flange to avoid contact with said pawl when said arm is swung about its center, a flexible cable secured at one end to said arm, and a sheave supported in line with the movement of said arm,

2. A mechanical starter for internal combustion engines comprising a ratchet wheel provided with V-shaped teeth adapted to be secured to the crank shaft of an engine, an actuator arm pivotally mounted to swing about the engine crank shaft as a center, a quadrant 011 the free end of said arm concentric with the engine crank shaft, a pawl I pivoted to said am nd a range to e gag said ratchet, a kickout projection on each side of said pawl, means with which said projections engage to disengage the pawl at either end of the Stroke of said arm, a laterally projecting flange on said arm above said pawl, a spring secured at one end to said arm and at its other end to the framework in such relation that it rests on said flange to avoid contact with the pawl when said arm is swung about its center, a bracket arm, a sheave on said bracket arm in the line of movement of said quadrant, and a flexible cable secured at one end to the end of said quadrant farthest from said sheave.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS P. BRINNON. WVitnesses L. E. Lown, W. H. Lewr.

cents each, y et sins the fipmmissi er o1 F'fi-Wii- Washington, D. G. a Y J 

